Maxwell Grant (20 January 1960 – 7 August 2012), better known as Ranking Trevor and sometimes as Ranking Superstar, was a Jamaican reggae deejay. Grant began deejaying as a teenager in the 1970s, and began his recording career at the age of fifteen. Regarded as a follower of U-Roy, Grant recorded at Channel One as Ranking Trevor in the mid-1970s, his first release being "Natty a Roots Man", and deejayed on the Socialist Roots sound system. He had success in 1977 with singles such as "Cave Man Skank" and "Three Piece Chicken and Chips" (a response to Trinity's "Three Piece Suit"), which were popular among British reggae fans, and these were followed by further hits on the British reggae charts in 1978 with "Pure & Clean" and "Rub a Dub Style", and he signed a record deal with Virgin Records' reggae label, Front Line, who released his debut album, In Fine Style.
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Links to Peel[]
Peel was impressed by Ranking Trevor's singing voice, which he mentioned on his 27 December 1977 show and nominated his collaboration with the Jays' Truly, as one of his favourite tracks of 1977. He ranked the song at number 13 in his own 1977 Festive Fifty style. Further material from the singer was played by Peel on his shows.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1977 Festive Fifty (& Jays): Truly #13
Shows Played[]
- 17 May 1977 (& Jays): 'Truly (12")' (Disco Mix)
- John Peel's Mixtape (& Jays): Queen Majesty (12") Channel One
- 22 July 1977: Three Piece Chicken And Chips (7")
- 16 August 1977 (& Revolutionaries, Culture): 'Trod On In Dub (12")' (Sky Note)
- PM029 (23 August 1977 or 24 August 1977) (with Alton Ellis & Revolutionarys: You Make Me Happy (12") Sky Note SKY DD001
- 26 September 1977 (& Carl Malcolm): Repatriation (12") Grove Music
- 03 October 1977 (& Jays): 'Truly (12")' (Disco Mix)
- 06 October 1977 (& Jays): 'Truly (12")' (Disco Mix)
- 14 October 1977: Mr Landlord (split 7" with Crueshal Bunny, Revolutionaries - Mr Landlord/Tennament Dub) Hit Sound
- 28 October 1977: Mr Landlord (split 7" with Crueshal Bunny, Revolutionaries - Mr Landlord/Tennament Dub) Hit Sound
- 03 November 1977 (& Techniques): Love Is Not A Gamble (split 12" with Revolutionarys – Love Is Not A Gamble / It's You I Love) Carib Gems CGDD 302
- 25 November 1977: Anti Lulu (7")
- 27 December 1977 (& Jays): 'Truly (12")' (Hit Bound) FF #13
- 1978
- 16 January 1978 (& Wailing Soul): War (12") Hit Bound
- 10 February 1978: Lord Of Hosts (split album with Trinity - Three Piece Chicken & Chips (One For One)) Cha Cha CHALP 001
- 14 February 1978: Three Piece Chicken And Chips (split album with Trinity - Three Piece Chicken & Chips (One For One)) Cha Cha CHALP 001
- 06 March 1978: Love Your Sisters (LP - Three Piece Chicken & Chips) Cha Cha Music
- 07 July 1978: Masculine Gender (LP - In Fine Style) Front Line
- 17 July 1978 (& Jayes): All I Have Is Love (12") Channel One
- 18 September 1978: 'Hang On (7")' (Morwell Esq.)
- 20 October 1978: 'Hang On (7")' (Morwell Esq.)
- 1979
- 18 January 1979: Mr Landlord (7”) Hit Sound
- 08 May 1979: unknown
- 17 July 1979: Give Thanks And Praise Unto Jah (12” split single with the Morwells) Greensleeves
- 29 October 1979: Whip Them, Jah (12" single – Pure Ranking) Sufferers Heights
- 03 November 1979 (BFBS): Whip Them Jah Jah (split 12" with Horace Andy and King Tubbys - Pure Ranking / Whip Them Jah Jah) Sufferers Heights
- 1980
- 31 March 1980: Go Up A De Dance (7") Pablo
- 10 April 1980 (BFBS): Go Up De The Dance (7") Pablo
- 1981
- 19 July 1981 (BFBS) (& Lynval Thompson, Wayne Jarrett): Money Problem - Only Jah Can Solve It (album - Train To Zion Dub) Tuff Gong
- 1982
- 26 January 1982: Fish Filet / Fish Man Dub (album - Presenting Ranking Trevor) Black Roots
- 27 January 1982 (BFBS): Youth In A Posse / Mad Posse (album - Presenting Ranking Trevor) Black Roots / Tad's
- 31 January 1982 (BFBS): Rope In Sister Jean (LP - Presenting Ranking Trevor) Black Roots
- 02 February 1982: Rope In Sister Jean (LP - Presenting Ranking Trevor) Tad's
- 1983
- 14 February 1983: Yard Oh (split 12" with Wailing Soul - Take We Back / Yard Oh) Upfront UPF 01
- 1986
- 13 October 1986 (& Wailing Soul): War (12" - War / Jah Give Us Life Don't Feel No Way) Greensleeves
- 14 November 1986 (BFBS) (& Wailing Soul): War (12" - War / Jah Give Us Life Don't Feel No Way) Greensleeves
- 1987
- 07 April 1987 (& Jays): Queen Magesty (12" - Queen Magesty / Melody Life) Well Charge
- 26 June 1987 (BFBS): Seven The Hard Way (LP - In Fine Style) Front Line
- 1989
- 10 January 1989 (& Jays): All I Have Is Long (7" - Born To Love) Cord
- 2000
- 10 May 2000: Hotter Fire (7") Channel One
- 18 May 2000 (Radio Eins): Ital Stew (7”) Hit Bound
- 13 June 2000: Ital Stew (7”) Hit Bound
- 2004
- 03 March 2004 (& Wailing Souls): War (Album, Comp.: Wailing Souls At Channel One (7's, 12's And Versions)) Pressure Sounds